The Courtesan
by ahiddenbanshee
Summary: The Courtesan, a legal slave, owned by GeneCo. She has a tendency to rebel and when she meets a certain friend in an alley her whole world will turn upside down. Sometimes a choice must be made on which life to save.
1. The Courtesan and The Graverobber

_Author's Note: This is my first Repo! story, I don't know how the idea came to me, and I hope I'm not ripping off someone elses story. I'm pretty sure I'm not. But anyway, it's a little cheesy and dramatic, but that's how operas are, right? Dramatic more than cheesy, unless we're talking about soap operas, ugh. But anyway, hopefully this doesn't suck too badly. I did a little character attitude switch-a-roo, so that might be neat. It's in four parts, so four chapters. The first two chapters are from the Courtesan's point of view and the last two are third person point of view. I don't know why I did it that way, but I did. Ha. So umm, yeah. Hopefully it's enjoyable._

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><p>Courtesan. It wasn't exactly the job I was dreaming of as a little girl, but I guess it put a roof over my head and food in my stomach. I don't want to say I have a reputation, but being <em>the<em> Rotti Largo's Courtesan, I've gained a sort of distinction. I was in a sort of predicament like Blind Mag, in exchange for sight she's the friendly face of GeneCo. Me? Well... I was a '_talented, young, beautiful girl_' that Rotti just didn't have the heart to see die, but in reality he had many hearts for me... I needed a new heart when I was 18, that's when I came under the employment, rather, _**personal**_ employment of GeneCo.

It's not a bad gig... most of the time. If I just take it and let my mind wander to some place else, it's like bad dream, and bad dreams eventually fade from memory. It's not Rotti I worry about though, seeing as I'm basically owned by him, his children own a little bit of me as well, Rotti's quite kind to me, actually. It's Luigi and Amber I can't stand. Pavi usually keeps his distance, he's got enough GenTerns all over him as it is, it's safe to say he's well satisfied. Though more than a few times I've caught him staring at me, at my face, and the thought of those eyes searching and that brain thinking is very, very unsettling. But Luigi and Amber... there's just- really, no words to explain it. I'm just thankful that Rotti doesn't allow me to be used as a punching bag.  
>I have the luxury of having my own apartment, it's nothing too top of the line, but it's something I can call my own, something I bought with my own money... though considering the money was on a charge card Rotti gave me...I guess... he owns it. But I decorate it and live in it. It's my own!<br>I'm _also _allowed 'free time', _glamourous_, right? It's as free as free can be... just as long as I keep my communicator bracelet on me at all times...  
>Sometimes I'm allowed to dance. Dance how I wish, that is. Since I was a little girl I've had a passion for ballet. And a few times Rotti's let me do a show with Mag, a way to flaunt me to all his guests are beneficial banquets and fundraisers, she sings and I dance. It isn't ideally what we had dreamt of as children, being famous this way. It <strong>was<strong> freeing, in a way, but not the true freedom I want.

No parents, no money, nothing. I was dying. What choice did I have when I was offered a new heart, a job, basically a completely new life. I was saved. But now... 10 years down the road... was it really worth it?

Courtesan. It's my occupation, my life and my name. The only hope I have is that my looks would fade fast and interest in me would diminish, and maybe, if I'm lucky, I would be able to walk away with my life...  
>Living like this held material pleasures and security, but I'm caged. But it isn't in me to just act complaisant...<p>

My only act of defiance that makes me feel the slighest bit still in control of my life is when I traded in my elegant clothes provided by Rotti Largo and GeneCo for clothes of a less modest look. The image of a Zydrate addict, turning tricks for who ever would be willing to pay my price... Yes. It was low. _Very_ low. But it was this shameful act that proved to me I still had some kind of dominion over my life.

Today was a particularly slow night. I was on my second cigarette and hadn't even caught a second glance from anyone. I thought I'd call it a night and head back home, but a familiar, annoying, yet somehow comforting baritone came from behind me.

"Well, wouldn't the King be upset to see his mistress offering herself out on street corners," he walked around me, that black lipped smile of his on his face, he faked a dramatic gasp, "And smoking, no less! My, my, the consequences." he shook his head in a mocking manner.

"Ha, ha. Graverobber." I rolled my eyes and flicked the cigarette butt away, "I'm sure Rotti dearest would provide me with new lungs if I needed them. He's got more than enough spare parts to fix his little doll. " I scrunched up my face in a fake grin.

He bent in to a sort of, what some might call gentlemanly, but I just called it, taunting, bow. "Courtesan." he smirked and stood up to his full height again.

"Shouldn't you be living up to your name?" I wondered, giving off that air of superiority I usually left at home whenever I went out like this.

"Shouldn't you?" he shot back easily, "Come on, let's see what's under the coat tonight. What's for sale?"

I scoffed with a roll of my eyes before pulling away at the belt of my coat and revealing what lay under. It wasn't much, and what little there was left to the imagination usually got the buyers buying. I usually went with leather, fluorescent colors or something with fishnet, but I went for lace this time. A dark blue. It clashed, in a good way, against my skin, pale, and seemed to make my red hair, natural, a little brighter. And with redder hair, also came greener eyes. To keep it short, I knew what I was doing.

Graverobber let out a low whistle and I closed up my coat, "I ought to charge you for that." I teased with a grin.

"Aw, I thought we were friends, Courtesan. Freebies." he whined, but that underlying joking tone was still there.

"Freebies? I've never come to you for Z."

"First hits free, buddies have to stick together." he moved one side of his coat away from him to show the blue glow hiding beneath, strapped to his leg.

"I don't want any Zydrate, Graves. I took it for my heart transplant, that was it."

He covered up the glow and stuck out his bottom lip, "So we're not friends?"

I tried to contain a smile, but it broke across my face anyway, "_Yes_, we're friends. I just don't want any of your damn street drugs, okay?"

"Got it. I can still get stuff from you, right?" he sounded hopeful, and seemed a little desperate. I never asked questions, as long as they had the money, I gave the service. But in truth, Graverobber was my friend, sad to say, the only friend I had. And friends usually spoke when something was up, right?... What am I talking about, look at my life. Does any bit of it seem usual? I shook the thought away and nodded.

He took my hand and as casually as possible, we walked for a good 8 minutes, keeping up casual appearances, though it didn't really matter. He sidestepped into an alley way and tugged me along with him. Graves black painted lips were on mine before my back had touched the bricks. There was that desperation again, the way his mouth moved against mine, there was an eagerness about it. Maybe that was it, maybe he was just eager to get off.

But as the minutes passed and we still remained in the same position; me against the wall, Graves pressed up close, his hands holding around my neck and caressing my cheek, I knew something was off. Kissing didn't last long, with every client it was different, but the kissing was usually a 30 second sort of thing. Something to get the heart racing, get the breath panting and the blood pumping. The same went for Graverobber. But I couldn't question it, I wouldn't. I just let my hands fall away from clasped behind his neck beneath his hair to raking down his chest and resting on his belt. He didn't seem to feel my advancement until I unbuckled it and started on the button and zipper of his pants. That's when his movements became frantic, and he sped up like he was trying to cover up and make up for all the time he'd spent kissing me. He undid the belt of my coat and the heavy warm fabric fell to the ground.

Graves hands grabbed under my thighs and he guided my legs to hook around his hips as he pushed me a little harder into the wall. The bricks were cold and bit into the skin of my back but that hardly mattered. Clearly this wasn't a flute job, judging by the way he ground his hips against me. I let out a moan, and in all honesty, I normally faked all the noises, but somehow Graverobber knew what he was doing with me. His lips found my neck and he thrusted heavily against me, his breath, as well as mine, shifting into that panting gasp.

His hands fell from under my legs a moment later and just as my heeled shoes touched the ground again I was spun around none too gently, facing the brick wall. I heard a heavy thump, relating it to the sound of how my coat had fallen eariler, Graverobber must have shed his.

One of his hands took hold of both my wrists and trapped them above me against the wall, while the other, from what I heard, fumbled with the fastening of his pants again, so I did what I did best. I rubbed my backside up against him, and was rewarded with a choked sort of groan and a hand squeeze on my hip. I let my head fall back, and it landed against his chest, while I continued to try and get this going a little quicker. Graves was always on time, but this time... something was off.

But that thought went away the instant my panties were pulled down to my knees and he shoved himself inside. I moaned as he panted against my neck, pressing the occasional kiss or nip against the skin of my shoulder as he picked up his pace, something between rough, rabid and rhythmic.

His hand on my hip kept me in motion and time with him; grabbing, squeezing, moving and rubbing, though I hardly needed the help, I angled myself perfectly against him and tossed back or turned my head when appropriate. (I had this thing down to a science.) Sighing, gasping and moaning- again, most of the time I faked it, but sometimes he moved just right or hit at the perfect angle and my noises would become a little louder, a little more abrupt, sudden.

I moved my head to breathe against my arm, a whisper of his name. A growl ripped roughly through his throat a second later and he picked up his speed into something close to violent. His hand falling from my captured wrists to grab onto my other hip, guiding every vicious movement. Even if I wanted or needed to be quiet, there was no way I could be now. The animalistic way he was pounding, I felt it everywhere. My arms wobbled and struggled to stay straight and keep my body from crashing into the wall, my legs, especially my knees, felt like they were starting to liquify. But before I could crumble, in a just blink of movements, he was gone, the hands on my hips spun me around again and he grasped under my thighs and with a something similar to a roar he hoisted me up and dropped me onto him again. I screamed.

The wall was cold, rough and unforgiving as it scratched at my skin and tore at my what undergarments I still had on that weren't dangling from my left ankle.

He panted heavily as he looked into my eyes, I was only capable of whimpers as my hands grabbed onto his shoulders and felt a growing tingling coming from below. I loved the feeling, but I rarily ever got my end with customers or Rotti.

His gaze broke from mine as one hand ventured up from supporting under my leg to pulling away at the lacy cup of my bra, his head dipped and his tongue darted out to taste the flesh he'd sampled many times before. The sensation was building up, burning hotter and hotter, but I tried not to think about it, that blinding release never came to me, only when I was by myself could I tip over the edge and cry out. He was close though, the grip on my other leg was tightening, and his movements were becoming more frantic and short.

Moans came between heavy breaths as he moved his mouth away from my breast and he leaned his head against my shoulder, going quicker and quicker.  
>I cried out, my vision blurring- stars passed over my eyes. What? Here I was waiting for the messy part, and now I was screaming and gripping tightly at Graverobber's clothed shoulders and back.<br>I looked down to see he'd pressed a singular pale digit against me, rubbing just in time with how he moved to fling me into the abyss with him not far behind.

The next few moments consisted of the awkward part, fixing up appearances; putting bits away, pulling up undergarments, putting clothes and coats back on,, all while avoiding eye contact. And then came the payment.

But Graverobber, as he was before the deal was out of character, he searched his pockets for money but I just waved him off.

"Don't worry about it. Like you said," I closed my coat up and smiled, "Freebies." I shivered slightly from the chill in the air, and the jelly feeling and tingling in my legs having not faded away just yet.

He looked at me, through the street lights he seemed to search my face to see if I was being sarcastic, "Really?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Besides, I got to finish. No one ever worries about me in _that_ department." I shrugged and glanced at my shoes.

He stepped back slightly, a smug expression taking over his entire body, "That good, huh?" his brow bounced a few times as he grinned at me.

I rolled my eyes, "Pleasure doing buisness with you, Graverobber."

He chuckled in that deep, dark voice of his before he stepped forward and planted a kiss on my lips. With that he left the alley, sending one last glance over his shoulder toward me before disappearing around the corner.

I tested my legs, hoping they wouldn't betray me when I walked out of the alley and went the opposite direction Graves had. _Friends_. I snorted at the thought. Friends don't pay each other for sex. But then again, I hadn't charged him, and he seemed kind of shifty tonight, the extensive make out before the main act, making me meet my climactic end (not even just _letting_ me finish, he _made_ me finish), the kiss before he left... these were all things he's never done in previous exchanges...

Graverobber was the first person to recognise me. When I started doing this prostitution buisness I knew I had to be careful and sneaky about it. I'd change my appearance, contact lenses, wigs, outlandish clothes and make up. Anything to hide my identity. But as I came to realise, most of my customers weren't really looking at my face, but _still_, the disguising, the debauchery... It gave me a certain kind of thrill.  
>But he saw who I really was, underneath it all. I was 22, he'd been in the drug market for more than a decade now, he knew all the faces, he knew all the names and he knew who needed zydrate. My face was new to the scenery, as he had said, he noticed I didn't look strung out on anything, and my body wasn't littered with scars or stitches from surgeries, besides the one just between my breasts. He looked me up and down, circled around me a few times before he leaned in closely toward my face, his eyes were squinted as he tried to figure out just who exactly I was and where he'd seen me from before. I was familiar to him but he couldn't place why and I stood there hoping and praying he wouldn't realise.<p>

But it dawned on him, I could see it click, his eyes widened and his dark lipped mouth turned into a smile as he started laughing. I clamped my hand over his mouth just before he started nearly shouting, "You're the Co-"

I dragged him into the nearest alley and with all the might I had shoved him into the wall, and released his mouth, before I started whispering harshly, "Keep it down, will you? I don't _exactly_ want everyone knowing just what Rotti Largo's personal slave does on her nights off. I got this new heart 4 years ago, and I'd like to keep it a little while longer, if you please."

He'd laughed, and apologised, then tried to get me to buy some zydrate from him. I rejected the stuff, and told him my story.

"It must be a thankless job, a legal sex slave. You're far too young and beautiful and _real_ to be in this position." he'd said when I finished my tale, and I'm not sure what came over me, but leaned up, one of my hands taking hold of his neck while the other grabbed at his crotch.

That was the first time, in that alley, the alley that had constantly leaking pipes, bathed in a red glow from street lights above. He'd pushed my wig off, freeing my red soft curls and running his pale fingers through them. I was soaked to the bone by the end of it, but my coat kept me warm, and he handed me some money and winked, "See you around, kid."

That was 6 years ago... Things seemed to have changed... but why?


	2. Treachery Against the King

I left a message for Graverobber, many of them actually, there was never a definite place where he could be found, so I made sure to extend my reach to the darkest corners of alley ways and shadiest street corners. I doubted he'd find any of them, signed with a C and sealed with a kiss, but it was worth a try. But my doubt changed to relief when I heard the rattling of the front door's lock... It could be anyone though. But I didn't fret, I'd dealt with a handful of break-ins in my time.

I stayed under the covers, remaining still and quiet, feigning sleep while I reached under my pillows. My hands circled around them carefully. The door opened and closed with quiet clicks and even quieter steps shuffled along the carpet.

My door, open just a crack, started to open further, and from the corner of my eye I could see a dark towering figure fill the doorway.

I turned on the lamp by my beside before sitting straight up and taking my aim on the intruder, or friend. Which ever it was. But when I heard the shout and saw the familiar face and attire flinch, I dropped the guns on the blanket and sighed in relief.

"What the fuck are you doing with those things?" Graves had shouted at first, but when I put a finger to my lips, he spoke in a hissing whisper. I didn't need any neighbours coming around and wondering what that manly shouting was, or if I was burglarised, or convincing me that I should live in GeneCo tower with the Largo's. I wasn't part of their family. I was the pet, I was just something they owned... I had a feeling a few of the tenants were specially put there... informants or something for Rotti. For safety, he would say, paranoid, I would think.

"Protection. Rotti gave me the Colt. I got myself the Beretta. You wouldn't believe how many times someone's tried to break in here. Always my place too, never anyone else in the building. Strange." I mummbled with an eye roll. _Of course_ people knew where I lived, every day there was a snapshot of me in magazines or the paper... paparazzi...

"Like **you** _told_ me to?" he wondered in slight anger, as he walked toward my bed, I drew my knees up to my chest, the blanket fell away from me and I tried to contain my smile as Graverobber continued to whine, "Do you know how **difficult** it was to sneak around from the scum to the ritz surrounding GeneCo tower. And you tell me to go through the **back**, up the _fire escape_ and to go down the _stairs_ of the **roof access** just so you could pull your _**guns**_ on me right when I step into your apartment?"

"Aww. Are you mad at me?" I pouted fakely, a chuckle escaping me as I spoke.

"I risk **a lot** for you. And you almost _shot_ me." he took a seat the foot of my bed, sighing as he did so. {His eyes took in the sight of her bare legs before he looked back to her face, not a speck of make up on her, but she still looked way better than all the women who'd undergone cosmetic surgery.}

I scoffed a laugh, "I didn't even put **that much** pressure on the trigger," he rolled his eyes before falling down completely onto the bed, I laughed quietly but continued on, "and you _had_ to come in that way. I couldn't just let you in. Tongues would wag, my dear, and I can't have that." I placed the guns on safety putting them back under my pillows and looking to Graverobber, who's eyes had fallen closed, I'm sure it was just the pure comfort of a proper bed.

"So why'd I have to haul my ass here anyway? What's so important?" he groaned as he turned his face into the sheets, appearing to try and get a little more comfortable, even with his boots still on.

I looked at him, seeing him in a comfortable bliss I didn't want to disturb it, but he was my friend, and friends spoke when something was of the utmost importance and opinions were needed.

"Rotti's dying." I said after a few long moments, I thought of different ways to say it, put it delicately, but that's how it came out. Blunt and frank. Graves eyes snapped open and he propped himself up on an arm to look my way, nodding for me to continue, "He's got doctors searching for a cure, but from what I've heard from the staff he hasn't got much time. He's talked about GeneCo, and me... but the first thing I want to do when he kicks the bucket is run. Far away from here, from GeneCo, this city and- and this life. I want to go."

{Graverobber seemed to deflate for a moment, but covered it up quickly with a nod and smile. If he'd known she was going to say all that he would've stopped her from speaking.}

"So after Rotti dies, you're just gonna split." he asked in a tone that seemed uncaring but slightly offended.

I nodded, shrugging his tone off easily and told him about the other events that had taken over my day, "He spoke about signing GeneCo off to me, he told me every little detail about why his children weren't fit to take over, and how I would do '_so much better_'."

"You wouldn't take it, would you?" he asked with a chuckle, if anyone knew how much I despised GeneCo it was him. I'd talked his ear off tons of times, complaining about how many repossesions Rotti had enforced that day, the people Luigi had killed and the faces Pavi had stolen. He knew well enough about Amber with her surgeries and her street zydrate addiction.

"No! No, of course not!..." I answered immediatly, but then I pondered it, what if he _did_ sign me off as the CEO, "But then again...".

"No. No," he got to his knees and shuffled up the bed toward me, stopping just in front of my feet where he put his gloved hands on my knees, "You can't. You **can't** be sucked into that corporate, lending and killing bullshit. You hate them. I've heard it all, straight from your mouth. They'll corrupt you, it'll mess with your brain and you're-" he paused, his hands fell from my knees, "You're perfect the way you are."

"But _think_," I leaned forward slightly, pure racing probable thoughts egging me into excitement, "I could change policies. Extend payment plans, no repo men, actually try and ween the addicts off Zydrate."

"Woah now, slow down, _Mrs. Largo_." he put his hands up in a way to stop me, I just smiled and shook my head, "I could _change_ things..." but then my smile fell from my face and I leaned back against the headboard, "But I doubt he'd do it... extend the power to his little doll? The plaything?" I scoffed a laugh, "He'd be mocked. Laughed right into his grave."

"Hmm," he hummed and turned his head to the side to catch my eyes, his fingers brushed under my chin and tilted my head back up, "Cheer up. You'll be free once he dies, right? You still got that going for ya."

"I guess so..." I shrugged, aware of just how close Graverobber was now. Aware that he was in my apartment, on my bed and though he smelled kind of rotten, I enjoyed having my friend here, talking to him, like normal friends do. He pulled off his gloves and gave me an uplifting smirk.

But of course, we didn't live in a normal world, we didn't have normal jobs, and we weren't _really_ _**normal**_ friends. "Now let's get a smile on that face." he offered a devilish grin before his hand slipped from my face and trailed down my neck and further down, his other hand pulled against my right knee, easing my legs apart while his lips descended to the skin of my thigh.

I watched him, more or less just amused, but that other trailing hand had gone unnoticed and snuck inside my underwear and I gasped. My hands grabbed at the sheets beneath me and I inhaled another gasp, but a smirk took over my lips when I saw him staring up at me with that smug look about his features.

"There we go. A work in progress." his voice deep and taunting, his hands took my hips and slid me down to lay on the bed, removing my panties in the process as I got comfortable. I expected to hear the removal of clothing article after clothing article, but all I heard was the single thump of his heavy coat falling to the carpet and then the sound of a choked cry, that sound having come from me.

Graves hands held underneath my thighs, a place he seemed to favor, and his tongue, well, it was something I'd never felt before, it felt... fantastic...

Graverobber left after that, the only thing that he'd shed was his coat. The only person to get off? Me. It was odd, the feeling, being treated that way. The way I treated customers and Rotti, only their ending mattered... It was a feeling I could get used to, that was definite... but I couldn't shake what the deal was with Graves. Something was up with him...

...

My legs were failing me again, my heels tipped unsteadily against the pavement as my ankles gave out every few feet I walked.

A blue wig was a top my head, the hair was ratted and wet. I sniffled, black watery tracks creating designs down my cheeks as I searched and asked around for Graverobber among the junkies, addicts and whores.

I was given direction toward an alley way, and sure enough, I could see the glowing blue before I could see him or the craving addicts surrounding him.

"Graverobber!"I called, my voice decieved me and broke with a sob. I pushed through the crowd, some were lucid enough to get out of my way on their own. I collapsed against him, my limbs finally giving up on me completely. I cried- my words jumbling through my tears and sobs.

"Woah!" Graves took hold of me around my waist when my weight fell against him, I heard him tell the addicts to beat it and look somewhere else, something I knew he would never do when he was fully stocked up and buyers were buying. "Woah, woah! Slow down, what happened?" he asked, pulling my face away from his chest to look into my red, teary eyes. No doubt he noticed the red swelling on the right side of my face as well. I was a total wreck.

My body shook violently with sobs, I had no control over myself, I was a complete mess. My fists clenched and unclenched the ancient, dirty and now tear stained fabric of Graves shirt. I tried to steady my breaths, just enough to speak a full sentence and explain myself for my behavior.

"They... th-they came into my apartment. I wasn't even in yet, bu-but they were looking for m-me. GenCops and R-repo Men...I-" I paused, taking a few more calming breaths, though I was far from calm, the very farthest from it, I looked up into Graves eyes. They held a worry in them, something I'd never seen before, "I killed them... I killed them all."

"Who sent them? Rotti? Why would he do that? What happened, Courtesan."

"Because... because he found something out today. We both did, actually." I looked back to his shirt, sniffling and gaining control over my breath again.

"Rotti has Genterns take my blood, to make sure I'm healthy and my heart is working properly, and umm, he usually has me do that every three months or so. And, uh, today I had a blood test..." I pressed my forehead to his chest and his arms circled around him tighter, I sighed, wishing I didn't have to break the news like this to him, but this was partially his fault too. I took a deep breath and tried to steel my nerves before muttering quickly, "I, umm, I'm pregnant."

{He was at a lose for words, so many questions came to mind. How long? When did it happen? Who's was it? Is it-}

Judging by his quiet reaction, I figured he was blinded and deaf from such an announcement, so I answered before he could speak, "It's not Rotti's. Concerning what's going on _under the hood_, he's been broken down for ages."

"Whose is it then?"

"Well. Process of elimination. The last person I had sex with without protection that wasn't Rotti..." I trailed off, hoping he'd put the pieces together, remember and give some sort of recognition.

I looked up at him and saw his brow raise in confusion. I sighed with a roll of my eyes, slightly amused at his stupidity, but even more irritated, and even more scared than that.

"You. Graverobber."

"What? Me? Wha-" but then I saw it play out on his face like a movie, it all came back, that night in the alley, when he wasn't particularly himself, {but in actuality he _really_ _was_ himself} he'd gone ahead and finished up inside.

{First instinct was to deny it, but with Courtesan in his arms, shaking in fear, tear and make up stained cheeks, and what appeared to be a nasty bruise forming on the right side of her face... He glanced at her stomach... Rotti sent the GenCops and Repo Men to kill her... and his baby.}

"We have to leave!" he exploded after a rather long and worrying pause, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting but at least it wasn't denial, "We've gotta get outta here." he said again.

"_We_?" I wasn't exactly expecting any of this. In truth, I had just come to him to find a place to hide for a while before I could take control over the situation, as well as telling him about his part in creating a new growing life in my god damn belly. I didn't expect him to take action. I just wanted him to have the information.

"I'm a part of this now. I'm a part of what's going on in your stomach, and _we_ have got to get out of this place." he said in a rushed way, and started to pulled me toward the end of the alley way.

"Not now." I stopped his movements.

He looked at me like I had lost it completely, "Why not?"

"He's got GenCops and Repo Men out looking for me. Just wait until Rotti dies and..."

He cut me off, his voice on the borderline of hysterical, "But who knows how long that'll be!"

"It's no longer than a half a year. They're still trying to find cures, but it's terminal. They just won't tell him 'cause they don't want to be killed for being the one who broke the news to him."

He put his face into his hands and groaned, "Half a year you could _have_ the kid by then."

I paused, just taking in what stood before me, it was strange, but nice, "I've never seen you so worried before." I smiled up at Graves, I'd never seen him so flustered, never seen his eyes shine so blue with worry. But all that emotion seemed to dim, and he grinned down at me, giving a shrug.

"What can I say, I care about ya."

He took my chin into his grasp and tilted my face up a little more, his lips descended on mine and for just a few short moments I didn't have a care in the world, but just as soon as I fell into bliss I shoved myself out of it, I pulled away from Graves, and gasped, my words coming out far too quickly to be understood by anyone.

"I can't bring you into this. I can't bring anyone into this. I have to do this alone. I only came to you to tell you about it, I didn't expect you to want to get involved. I just needed a place to lay low for a while. But. But. If they got to you and you were killed I would never forgive myself." I shook my head and pulled myself away from him, away from the warmth and comfort, "It's better this way. For both of us. If you don't know where I am, you won't be at risk. I just need to hide, to blend in, and wait. I can do this."

"Courtesan, calm down. Lemme just-" he reached for me, but I dodged his touch, "No!" I just about shouted, "I know what I'm doing. The less you know, the safer you are. I'll try to keep in touch every now and then, but don't expect to see me too much. I'm sure if they catch me the media will cover it, but I should be fine. I'll leave you messages, every three days. Don't look for me, Graverobber." I explained as I backed out of the alley way and toward the poorly lit streets of the scummier ring of the island. I tossed the blood and tear stained blue wig into a dumpster, I pulled the hood from my sweater out from beneath my coat and pulled it over my head, "The day Rotti Largo dies, I'll find you."

"Promise, Courtesan?"

I paused, my face was concealed in shadows, but a smile took over my face and I quickly ran back to the Z dealer, I flung my arms around him, my feet dangled above the ground as he held me back tightly.

I let go and took his hand, I curved my pinky along his, and leaned up to kiss him one last time, and perhaps the final time, "I promise. You're a good friend, Graverobber." I nodded and ran on much more steady and determind legs from the alley way and into the city...

...

2 and a half months. I've been hiding, moving from place to place all around the city, staying close to the slums. Homeless, a begger and a grave robber. I had resorted to it, I'll admit it. When I couldn't get back to my apartment to get any more clothes or money, I took bodies from their graves and took the Zydrate from their brains and sold it. It's not something I'm proud of, but a girls gotta do something to get some food. And by catching my reflection in shop windows, I didn't exactly look like a healthy pregnant woman, I doubted I was the correct weight, and I was definitely not on the right kind of diet, but the baby seemed to be surviving and that was what mattered.

All I have are my boots, the clothes on my back, a few wigs and extra clothes in my bag that hung from my shoulder, my gun which was still held a full clip- thankfully I haven't had to resort to using it since the incident in the apartment- and I had my baby.

I wondered what it was, a girl or a boy, he or a she, I referred to it as he most of the time. Sometimes I found myself talking to him and apologising to him for bringing him into this, and he wasn't even born yet. This world was a nightmare, I feared for him to grow up here. Corrupt, confused and immoral. I vowed to make sure he was a good person, even in this hellish world.

I found myself walking along the graveyard that contained my parents, and wondered if Graverobber had harvested Zydrate from their corpses. Judging by the untouched earth that covered their coffins I doubted anyone had tried to use them for profit. My mother and father had died when I was 14, first my dad, then my mom. Both needed all sorts of new organs, but they couldn't afford GeneCo, and they'd rather die naturally than be slaughtered by a Repo Man. I huffed a laugh, "Look at me now, mom and dad. Look what your little girl's done with her life. Sold my body to live, now I'm knocked up and on the run. Livin' the dream..." I chuckled half heartedly, "... Miss you." I mummbled before moving on and starting my walk through the headstones and tombs.

Search lights shone all over the graveyard, and the speakers spoke policies passed by Rotti Largo, Congress and voters. It was uncommon for people to visit their dead now that graverobbers were a threat. Everyone was forbidden on grave yard premises, aside from GenCops, of course, they had to be there to find the graverobbers and execute them on sight. But this grave yard always seemed lax on security. I assumed I could manage a little stroll...

But an alarm went off, and my heart accelerated, the lights hadn't cast on me, and the instant I searched to see who tripped the alarm and cause the speakers to screech, 'Graverobbers on premises! Graverobbers on premises!' I found myself colliding into by a short, skinny thing.

"What did you do!" I called to them over the loudness and searched for a hiding place for us, all while seeing GenCops rushing in to find us. My assumptions had been wrong, _of course_.

"I didn't do anything! I wasn't- I'm not a graverobber!" the voice called back, scared, weak and feminine. It was a girl, she pushed her long black hair away from her face and looked up at me with frightened eyes.

"We need to hide before they find us and kill us." I told her, and enlisted her help in finding some place to wait this out.

"Come on! I stuck my book in the door." she grabbed my hand and hauled me with her toward one of the tombs, her weak arms pushed the door open and she grabbed her book before getting us both in. We shrunk against the stone walls, keeping away from the windows and breathing in deeply.

"Hey, wait a minute," the girl breathed when the sirens finally ceased and we were safe from harm, she turned to me, eyes searching and calculating, "I know you... I've seen you... You're the Courtesan. You're one of GeneCo's most wanted."

"Nice to meet you." I nodded, my reputation had gone from bad to worse in just a few months, "And you are?"

The girl seemed startled by my question, but composed herself well enough to stutter a reply,"Oh- Um, I'm Shilo Wallace."

"Pleased to meet you, Shilo Wallace... Say, uh, you wouldn't happen to know of any place I could hide out for a while, would you?"

She hesistated, but for just a half of a second before she stood and grabbed a bag from the ground in front of a grave that was marked 'Marni Wallace' "Uh, sure. Yeah. This way."

"You're a life saver, kid." I stood up, cursing the ache in my back as I followed the girl.

Through the tunnels that led from the cemetery to the Wallace home, Shilo informed me that I should cover my nose and mouth, just in case.

She led me to her bedroom, where we both sat on her bed, surrounded by the plastic curtains that hung from the canopy. I leaned back against the headboard, anything to ease the aches I had.

"So why are you wanted by GeneCo?" Shilo wondered, her legs were criss crossed and she looked at me in wonder, and judging by her room, I figured this little flower was sheltered.

"You don't read the tabloids much, do you?" I smiled smally at her.

Shilo shook her head, embarrassment tinting her pale cheeks.

"Well, you know I'm the Courtesan. So you must know that I'm- I _was_, basically Rotti Largo's personal toy. Make him look good sort of toy, make public appearances, pose for photos and make it appear that we shared blooming romance... As well as taking care of personal things behind closed doors."

She nodded for me to continue.

"He was nice to me and everything, but I didn't like him, or his children. They're all awful people. You can only pretend for so long."

"So that's why he's sent GenCops to search for you?"

"No," I chuckled and pulled open my coat, revealing the slightly swollen and protruding belly beneath my purple shirt, the fabric stretched slightly and Shilo's eyes widened.

"It's not his, _obviously_, or he would't have reacted as badly. He would've been over the moon if it was his, a miracle baby, a worthy heir for GeneCo... But no... He's told the press that not only did I cheat on him, but that I also had plans to create a revolt against him or something. I don't know." I shrugged, the rumors had flown around and blended together in a horrible mixture of lies that I couldn't pick one apart, "He didn't mention the pregnancy because he doesn't want the public to know he wanted a woman with child slaughtered. Doesn't want to be seen in a bad light, you know, since he is the King who saved us all from our premature deaths." I rolled my eyes.

"Why don't you leave? Save yourself and your baby?" Shilo sat up a little straighter.

"Useless until Rotti's reign is over. He's got GenCops stationed in places I usually frequented, had my apartment ransacked, they'll be at the checkpoints to exit the island, and he's got Repo Men constantly waiting for me to make a blip on the radar. Once Rotti's gone, the orders will be put on hold, and whoever takes over will decide whether to continue his orders or void them completely. In that time- the momentary void- I need to make my escape."

The girl nodded, taking in my every word like it was a riveting adventure tale, "You should stay here." Shilo spoke after a few moments pause, "Until Mr. Largo dies. Stay here. GenCops never come up here. You'd be safe. My dad's a doctor, he could see if your baby-"

"No! No, no. No parents, kid. This is between you and me. I just needed a place to hang around for a few hours to get t_hem_ off my scent. You can't tell anyone you saw me, alright? Promise?"

"But-"

"No. No, buts. You're a sweet girl, Shilo. But I don't want to get you into any trouble, and trouble is bound to happen if I stay longer than needed. Promise me?"

Shilo sighed before nodding in agreement. I stuck my pinky finger out to the girl, "Pinky swear." the girl laughed before linking her pinky with mine.

"My mom and I used to make pinky promises... Never broke those promises..." I mummbled with a grin, but a loud growling made us both flinch before laughing again.

"Sorry about that," I apologised to the girl, putting a hand over my hungry stomach.

"I'll get you something to eat." Shilo insisted no matter how many times I told her I was fine, "And you can shower if you want. First door on the right."

She was an angel, a beautiful, young angel, but she was horribly sick. She was sheltered, made to stay in her room for fear of the outside world hurting her. I felt bad for her, but in a way, I was glad that she was kept safe. Away from the horrors of the outside world.

"I've seen you dance. With Blind Mag's songs. It's beautiful." Shilo said out of the blue once I finished the sandwich she had prepared for me.

"Thanks... Since I was a kid I wanted to be this famous ballerina, but... _clearly_ it didn't work out as planned." I smiled and shifted to get off the bed. The shower was refreshing and the food was filling, but I'd over stayed my welcome and I need to get out of this gorgeous home quick.

"I'd better go." I slipped on my coat and started for the door and down the hallway. Shilo was quick on her socked feet as she walked down the hallway and the stairs with me.

"If you ever need a place to hide again." she said, letting the offer stand as she opened the door.

"I highly doubt it, but thank you, Shilo." I smiled and hugged the girl before leaving the house, without a glance backward I started for the a new place to lay low.

...

{"Psst!" Graverobber heard that same sound for the past three minutes, he'd been ignoring it, but as the sound became more insistent and longer he found himself growing annoyed and turned in search of the owner from which the sound emitted from.}

"What!" Graves snarled, and from beneath my coat and hood I stifled my laughter, and tweeked my voice to sound of that of an ancient old woman.

"How much?" I croaked.

"Z?" he wondered, I could hear the intrigue in his voice, most of his customers were younger people, people younger than 40, most of the time.

"No. _**You**_." I nearly bursted right then, but I kept the act up and stayed hunched against the wall.

Graverobber scoffed and started to walk away, "I don't think so, lady."

"Well, that's not very nice," I spoke in my normal voice and stood up, removing my hood, "Old women need love too." I grinned when he stiffened and turned.

"Courtesan." he whispered and rushed me, he pinned me to the wall and took my lips with his, "I missed you." he mummbled against my mouth.

"Aww," I cooed, "Now **that** is adorable. Who knew!"

"What are you doing here? Is Rotti dead?" he looked around us, making sure there was no one to bear witness.

"No. But I brought presents." I dove my hand deep into my coat pocket and brought out 5 glowing vials of Zydrate.

His eyes widened and he covered the glow with his hand, "Where'd you get these?"

"I've had a lot of time on my hands. Oh, and speaking of time. Take a look at this." I opened my coat after nudging him a few inches away.

I made a dramatic revealing noise and pulled my coat open- my stomach and all it's roundness was shown to Graverobber.

"Look at that. Alive and kicking, _literally_. Bastard loves to give me a good kicking." I laughed and looked from my stomach to Graves whose eyes had widened larger and a simple, "Woah." left his lips.

"Right?" I laughed, "I think he might actually survive."

"He?" Graves looked to my face, an emotion I couldn't quite place took over his face.

"Yeah. That's what I've been calling him, as opposed to 'it'. I mean, I think he's a boy, but he very well could be a girl. I don't know."

His eyes fell from my face and back to my stomach where he laid a hand on it, and for a few long moments that was it. We just stood there like that. It seemed... peaceful.  
>I turned my head when I saw a quick shuffling of bodies running and turning to blend into shadows and hide within alleys, which usually meant one thing- GenCops.<p>

"I have to go." I whispered quickly, Graves eyes looked up to see what I saw, I shoved the Zydrate vials into his hands, pulling out the remaining four that were in my other pocket before leaning up and kissing his lips quickly. "He won't last much longer, see you soon!" I called as I ran down the alley way, grinning like a fool.

...

_I sat in his office, the spacious room that was hardly decored. I sat on the couch, watching and waiting for that grin to come to his face when everything checked out and I, his perfect little doll with the new heart he'd given me, was fine. But as his eyes raced over the results of the blood test his shoulders tensed and the whites of his eyes became more visible._

_"What's wrong?" I wondered and stood up, walking toward his desk, I jumped and stood still when he slammed the clipboard down onto the table top- taking note of his clenched fists, knuckles turning white. "Rotti, wha-" I began but he shouted and I shut up quickly, I'd met this Rotti a few times, but each time after he'd apologize for hours and hours and shower me with gifts to regain my trust in him. He stood up sharply, his chair tipped over with a loud clatter from such force, "Why? Why would you do this to me!" He shouted and advanced toward me.  
>I stepped away, instinctively and fearfully, what had shown up on that test?<em>

_"After all I've done for you! My beautiful girl! Betraying me! Why!"  
>"Rotti, I don't understand." I spoke cautiously and slowly, hoping it would calm him, but it didn't, it seemed to just add fuel to the fire.<br>"You don't understand? You don't UNDERSTAND!" he was an older man, a dying man, but he moved swiftly and before I could defend myself I was shoved harshly into the solid wall and I crumbled to the floor._

_"Treachery! Treachery against your King. You've been with another and you carry his child." Rotti hissed from above me, and before I could properly take in the new information a heavy weight knocked against my face and I found myself seeing stars. After I regained my sight I realised I'd been hit and nearly blacked out from it.  
>"All that I've done for you. All that I've done! And this is how you repay me. Sleeping around... I was going to make you my wife! Give GeneCo to you!" he explained loudly, and I saw he'd made his way back to his desk again, he sighed, in what seemed like a devistated way as he picked up his chair and sat in it. "...But now... You leave me no choice."<em>

A gasp escaped me as I found myself waking curled up against a brick wall in an alley way. I groaned at the memory, it was still fresh, even 6 months later. Rotti had called the GenCops to detain me and a Repo Man to repossess my heart. That's when I ran. I ran hard and fast, though pain shook all through me and pulsated hotly in my face where Rotti had struck me, I got into survival mode.

And that's how I'm still breathing. Survival instincts. They kick in and they keep you safe... until your guard is down and you're open to attack.  
>I didn't sleep much usually, or eat much, but the baby still grew, no matter how badly things seemed that child was still strong. But he was still knocking me out, each day I felt more and more exhausted, and I'd find myself waking up from who knows how long I'd dozed. I needed to be alert and ready, but it was getting harder and harder, and if I counted right this kid should be ready to go in just a couple of weeks. There were no reports on Rotti Largo's health, but I'm sure it will be any time now when he croaks and I can finally be free.<p>

"Well, I guess we should move somewhere else now. Get some exercise while I'm at it... see if I can find you some food." I mummbled to my stomach. I got to my feet with assitance from the brick wall, and gathered my things before starting to exit the alley. But something gleaming slightly silver caught my eye. I wandered toward the slight glimmer and picked it up. A communication bracelet, it was scratched and scuffed, an older model. I turned it on and found it still did the basics. Recieve and send messages, blood pressure and pulse reading, current news and weather updates. I had ditched my old bracelet after I killed those GenCops and Repo Men in my apartment, smashing it with the heel of my shoe. I figured, why not, this bracelet might be of use and put on my wrist... and oh how horribly right I would be...


	3. Life Savers

"_Message from: __**Unknown**_." the robotic female voice informed Shilo from her wrist.

She waited for the message to play and immediately sat up when she heard the voice she recognized as Courtesan's, her frantic pleas echoed through the room, "_Shilo! Shilo! You've got to help me! I know what I said about keeping you out of trouble, but they're hot on my tail_." her breath was heavy as she panted, Shilo assumed she was running, "_I need somewhere to hide and catch my breath. Just for a few minutes. Shilo, please! I'm almost to the cemetery. Please help me, Shilo_."

The girl sprung from her bed, picked the lock on her door in record time and bolted from her room, bypassing the breathing mask she took when she traveled through the tunnels.

She ran as fast as she could, and just as she reached the end she could hear the slamming of fists from the door just beyond her mother's tomb. "Shilo!" she heard the woman's voice and ran to the door, pulling it open the red headed woman almost toppled over, but Shilo caught her and shut the door behind them.

The band on her wrist flashed and whined, much like hers did when she needed to take her medicine, though Courtesan's informed: "Heart rate accelerated. Dangerous. Heart rate acclerated. Dangerous."

"Sit down for a minute." Shilo helped the woman, her stomach larger and rounder than the first time they met. Courtesan took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down as she sat in front of Marni Wallace's grave. Shilo peered out the window on the door, flashlights shone their beams across the graves and tombstones outside, GenCops.

The beeping and voice from her wrist stopped, and Courtesan put her face into her hands, breathing somewhat normally again. "Thank you." she breathed.

"Come on. Come up to my house. Just for a minute. I'll get you something to drink." Shilo held her hand out to the woman.

They journeyed back to the Wallace home. Courtesan sat on Shilo's bed while the girl ventured to the kitchen to get her some water.

Just 3 months ago she was in the same place, she'd missed the comfort of a real home, in fact, she missed Shilo too. The girl was so sweet and kind, but the world she was forced to live in was completely opposite. The girl deserved better, a place that wasn't horrid and cruel, violence and sex everywhere...

"Here." Shilo gave Courtesan the glass and she downed it in seconds. She noticed the girl eyeing her stomach, her eyes were calculating and her mind was processing, she spoke after a long minute of silence, "I _really_ think you should stay here. I mean, you're probably due soon, and my dad could-"

The sound of the intercom toned before a voice took over, asking for Shilo. The girls eyes widened before she looked back to Courtesan, "Stay here." she put her hands up in a 'stay' motion and left the room.

Courtesan sat up, heaving herself up from the bed to peek out of the window, she moved the curtain aside and spotted a car and one of Rotti's hench girls stationed next to it, armed. She gasped and put the curtain back and moved down the hallway.

Courtesan's boots thumped louded down the steps when she heard another voice downstairs with Shilo's, she assumed a hench girl, or even Rotti. "Shilo!" she called and stopped on the second landing where the girl stood.

She saw the woman on the floor below them, her breath caught in her throat, "Mag!" she squeaked and offered a scared smile.

"Courtesan? What are you doing here?" Blind Mag herself moved to wander up the steps toward the girls.

"I, um-" Courtesan started, but was cut short when Shilo gasped and tugged her to hide on the higher steps, in an effort to hide them both from her father's view.

But it was too late. Two strangers were in his house, in **his** house where his sick daughter was. Nathan had seen them. Blind Mag and The Courtesan. Two visitors. Two who were on his repossesion list. He grabbed, dragged and pushed Mag out the door, to which Shilo went to convince him to let her stay so the Repo Man wouldn't take her eyes and kill her, but he wouldn't hear it. When the door shut he turned to Courtesan who, quite literally, was shaking her boots.

"Go to your room, Shi." he instructed as he passed his daughter and thundered up the steps to grab hold of Courtesan's wrist tightly, she struggled, but after a few moments she saw no point to it, he was far stronger than her.

"No! Dad! You can't just turn her in! Dad! Dad, it's not fair! You don't know her story! Dad, please!" Shilo begged.

"Shilo! Go to your room!" his voice boomed loudly, the girl's mouth snapped shut, but her eyes looked wildly between her father and Courtesan. A look flashed in her eyes to the red head, a look that said, 'I'm sorry', and she started up the stairs in defeat.

Nathan waited until he heard Shilo's door shut then turned to the fire place, the image of the fire went uninterrupted as he pushed the whole thing open and pulled Courtesan along behind him.

This was different than the tunnel Shilo had led her through to get to the cemetery, this tunnel seemed a little more sinister, scarier, and that's when she started to struggle again. This trail ended in the basement. She didn't know what to expect at all. She knew Nathan was a GeneCo employee, but all she feared was his turning her in.

"Please. Please, don't take me to Rotti. I'll do anything. Please." she tried to push his hand away from its tight grip on her wrist, but he didn't falter, and he didn't speak.

The room had an essence of fear to it, something like terror and death.

He moved her into position on to what looked like an upright surgical table, he ignored her whimpering pleas and the tears that came from her eyes when she saw the Repo Man's uniform hanging not too far away from where she stood. Nathan put her wrists into the straps and went to adorn his surgical gear. He had refused to do the Mag job- Mag had been Marni's best friend- but with the Courtesan, it was different. He didn't know her besides being her surgeon during her heart transplant, Marni didn't know her, as far as he knew she was just a criminal, a 'traitor', he could redeem himself, hand over the Courtesan's heart to Rotti and be on good terms with his boss again.  
>With each piece of his uniform clipped on, she let out a quiet sob, and it stung something in his heart. He'd known the girl's story, and in a way, she reminded him of Shilo. Just a young girl, a sick young girl who was looking for a cure and found it, but had to sign a contract to keep her life. Though Shilo's story was much different, he knew, because he'd made it that way.<p>

The helmet went on last and he walked over to the subject, pulling his tools on a rolling table along with him. He switched on the light in his head gear and picked up his scalpel. The girl's coat was bulky and tied up, he sighed when he saw tears staining the collar of it. He undid the tie and pulled the coat open.

He stopped. Her stomach. It was unmistakable that she was with child, a little more than 8 months if he saw it correctly. Pregnant. Rotti hadn't given him that detail. He hadn't given anyone that detail...

Nathan put the scalpel down on the table and removed his helmet, there was no way he could do this. Images of the past flashed before his eyes. Marni... He couldn't do it. He couldn't take one life while at the same time extinguishing a new growing life that had yet to see the light of day or breath in its first gulp of air.

Courtesan's eyes were squeezed closed, though tears still slipped down her cheeks as she waited for the first slice, the feeling of pain, the blood draining, and the light fading.

"I can't." she heard Nathan speak. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked to him.

"I can't do it." he mummbled and undid the straps around her wrists. "Go. You need to hide, don't come back here. Just- please go."

"You... you saved me," she said, reaching a hand to the man's face, she smiled when he looked at her, "you saved us." she laid her other hand on her stomach.

He gave her a small smile before he nodded, "Go."

"Thank you."

...

The moment Courtesan found her way back into the city she went in search of Graverobber, Mag, anyone, she needed to-

"Courtesan!" a hand gripped her upper arm and pulled her toward the owner of the hand. She found herself face to face with Pavi Largo.

A gasp came from her as she retched her arm away from him, "Pavi, please. Don't say anything."

"Maybe." his high pitched tone answered, "In exchange'a for'a your face."

She glared, "No deal."

"No deal." he mimicked her and went to grab her again, but she swung her fist out and hit him right in the jaw, making him stumble enough for her to make an escape.

"Graverobber!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. She was lost, alone, and now seen by a Largo.

The Genetic Opera was tonight, she could still find Mag, the singer's contract was signed in blood as well, together they could make a great escape.

All the screens on the island were tuned to the opera, Courtesan would never make it in time before Mag took the stage, or make it through the crowds and cameras without being spotted.

Though the thought occured, she didn't need to hide, all eyes were on the opera...

...

Creeping around her old neighbourhood where her apartment complex was she looked the very definition of suspicious as she looked all around her with every few feet she stepped until she reached the building.

Her apartment door had GenCop crime scene tape on it- she'd quit creeping once she got to her floor and walked casually toward her used-to-be-home, but was suddenly grabbed from behind. She squealed and flailed, but relaxed the moment she heard that lovely low voice, "It's me! It's me! Calm down." he turned her around and looked her up and down before taking her into his arms again.

"GenCops are looking for you, Pavi told them he found you. They're everywhere. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to get my stuff." she huffed and walked back toward her door, ripping the tape crossed along the entry way she pulled out her key and unlocked the door.

"That old bastard can't last much longer, and I need to get near my escape route and wait for my window. And I need to get to work on a new identity just in case... I'm sure Pavi didn't take that punch to the face as a friendly gesture." she mummbled and went to her closet, happy to find that they didn't take in everything she owned as evidence.

"What about me?"

"What _about_ you, Graverobber?"

"I thought we were in this together."

"I can't do that to you. It's just me and the kid. You need to just-"

"No, **fuck** that. This is **my** responsibility too."

"No it's not, Graves." she turned and took hold of his face gently, staring up into his eyes, "You don't _need_ to be a part of this. I've been on the run and hiding for 7 months. I know what I'm doing. I know how to take care of a kid and how to take care of myself. I know how to survive and thrive. You don't need to help me." Courtesan tried her hardest to convince him. She'd already brought too many people into this. She could do this on her own, and though she would never admit it to his face, she honestly doubted he could handle it.

"So... you don't want me." he concluded, offense and sadness mixing in his tone, beginning to turn away- to make a quick escape.

"Of course I want you. But I really don't want you to die because of me." she moved to stand in front of him and touched a hand to his cheek. He looked down at her, since she'd traded in all her fancy shoes for a lone pair of heavy boots she'd become much shorter. But he liked it that way, the strappy heels never seemed like _her_. And in the years he'd come to know her he felt he really did know what was her and what wasn't her. He placed his hand over hers.

"I run the risk of dying everyday, and it's not because of you. But if the chance arose for me to die for you... I would..."

Courtesan bit her lip before standing on her toes to kiss him, "Alright. But **don't** say I didn't warn you. Take this bag and shove as much stuff into as you can." she gave him a duffel bag and starting searching around for something else to carry her stuff in.

"There's a checkpoint down by the old docks. As far as I know the same old man has been working there since before we were born. And I'm sure he doesn't pass a glance to any of the wanted posters so we should be fine. After that, the ferry takes us along to the next populated land mass and-"

"You've really thought all of this through, haven't you?" Graverobber laughed and slung the now full bags strap over him.

"I've had a lot of time to think. And I've been thinking about baby names. Girl names I've been leaning toward Marilyn or Audrey, boy names James or Michael. What do you think?" she grinned as she found an old backpack and started filling it with clothing and bathroom essentials.

"Those aren't exotic at all. Names have to stick, you know, make an impression."

"Audrey was my mother's name and Michael was my father's." she explained with a laugh.

"Oh...Well then I take back what I said." he answered awkwardly.

She laughed and shook her head and they exited the apartment and the entire complex quickly.

"You could name it after yourself, or me." Graverobber suggested as he followed her through Sanitarium Square.

Courtesan laughed again, "I don't even know your name. And you don't know mine. And Graverobber seems more than fitting for you, but I'm definitely not naming the baby that."

Graves nodded, "Fine, what about you name?"

"Raina? No, I don't think she'd like that. If she's a she." Courtesan snorted, but stopped walking when she noticed Graverobber had halted a few feet behind her. She turned to him wih a brow raised.

"Your name's Raina?" he asked.

She looked at him at nodded, observing his awestruck face with a smirk.

"That's beautiful."

"Thanks." she continued to walk and he caught up quickly, but then she stopped when she caught sight of one of the many screens in a shop window. The screens were everywhere, shop windows, homes and on the blimp screens, showing the Genetic Opera live but that wasn't caused her to stop, she saw someone familiar.

"That's the girl. That's Shilo." she mummbled, she saw Shilo holding her father's bloodied body close to her as she wept for him. The girl and man who had saved her. Courtesan chewed on her lip and eventually the good in her overpowered the selfish.

"We have to go get her." she stated as she turned to Graves.

"Who? What? The Kid?" he asked when he saw what she'd been looking at.

"Her name's Shilo. She saved my life twice. I owe her." Courtesan looked around, trying to figure out what streets they were on so she knew which way to start running.

"You know her?" Graverobber asked, a hint of shock in his voice as he started following her when she starting sprinting away.

"Yes! Now come on!" she called.

...

"Shilo!" Courtesan screeched from within the crowd, through the blinding flashes of cameras and reporters screaming questions at the poor girl, the red headed Courtesan pushed through and grabbed the girls blood covered arm, "Shilo! This is our window! We have to move!"

"_The Courtesan! It's her_!" "_Rotti Largo's lover_!" "_Where have you been_!" "_Tell us, dear! How do you feel about Mr. Largo's passing_! _Happy or sad_!" "_She's pregnant! Is it Rotti's_!" "_What is it? Boy or girl, Courtesan_!_? Courtesan, over here_!" "_Why did Mr. Largo kick you out! What treachery did you commit_!" " _Were you trying to take over GeneCo_?" "_Courtesan_!" she squinted through all the flashes and turned away from microphones and cameras shoved in her and Shilo's face. The ambush of questions and shouts all just sounded like deafening chatter, she couldn't pull one question apart from the onslaught, "_How do you know the Wallace girl_?" "_Did you know her father? Is her late father the father of your baby_!" "_Courtesan! Please, don't be shy! Tell us everything_!"

"Courtesan! Where is she!" Everyone, including Shilo and Courtesan, turned to the new, but oh so familiar voice that shouted over the crowd. Luigi, followed by Pavi, shoved and pushed through the reporters and civilians.

"_You_ killed him! You broke his heart and he _died_, you immoral **slut**." Luigi pointed an accusing finger at her. A couple yards of reporters kept a healthy distance between the two girls and the two men.

"Oh, _please_, Luigi. Don't be so dramatic. Talk about _immoral_, look in the fucking **mirror**, _Mr. Largo_."

A roar of laughter came from the crowd and what seemed like Sanitarium Square all together. Looking around Courtesan spotted cameras that were feeding this interaction live to every screen on the island.

"Shilo, go." Courtesan mummbled while the crowd was distracted.

"No, I won't leave you here." Shilo held onto the Courtesan's arm, looking up at her with scared eyes. She saw the fear was more than just of the crowd and the attention, but she'd just lost her father, the look was that of a scared, lonely, confused child... just like she was 14 years ago. Shilo's eyes stayed on hers but a movement beyond Courtesan caused her look away and a gasp escaped her.

"Courtesan! Look out!"

Luigi's knife sunk deep into Courtesan's side. She screamed but tried to contain any further noise when the blade was pulled out and went up through the air to make another heavy descending slice.

The sound of screams and shouts filled the air as chaos broke out. Those trying to get photos of Luigi and Courtesan, of the bloody knife, of the deep wound Courtesan held with her hands, Shilo trying to hold her up and take her away. Then out of no where a group of scummy people from the very dirty and poorest outskirts of Sanitarium Island who'd never seen a scapel or an operating room in their entire lives jumped into camera view, they took down Luigi.

"Come on! We have to go!" Shilo begged Courtesan and they moved through the crowd, they were much less interesting now that the poorest of the poor were dog piling the richest of the rich.

"Raina!" Shilo's head snapped toward the familiar deep voice, and she saw the Graverobber running toward them.

"She was stabbed. I don't know how bad it is but there's a lot of blood." Shilo said, almost sobbing from the overflow of emotions.

Graves nodded, "We need to go somewhere."

"My house. We'll go through the grave yard."

It was a tough journey. With Raina losing blood and the wound still undefined in severity, they thought about if they could both be saved, or if only one could be saved.

Graverobber tried as gently as he could to set the Courtes- Raina onto the bed in the spare bedroom that was down stairs in the Wallace home. Her eyes were fluttering and her breathing was shallow. He brushed her hair away from her face and looked around, Shilo was gone, but just as he was about to panic she rushed back into the room with a first aid kit, a bunch of medical tools and a few books in her arms.

"What do we do?" he asked, taking off his coat, finding the room was stiflingly hot suddenly.

"I'm not sure... Maybe-" Shilo mummbled as she hurriedly flipped through pages of the books she'd brought in.

"What!"

She ignored his outburst as just something he couldn't control out of concern for the possibly dying woman in the bed, "Okay, find the wound, put pressure on it and then I'll try to stitch it up... And umm... I, uhh," Shilo stumbled with her words when she saw Graves lift up Raina's shirt and saw just how bad the damage from the knife was. She tossed Graverobber a towel to soak up the blood and started searching for a needle. She glanced at Raina, she was pale, more pale than usual, and she was sweating heavily, her breath was there, but it was laboured, "May-Maybe we could give her some Zydrate."

"Yes!" Graves shouted, keeping a hand on the bloody towel while the other went to the leg holster that held his stash of the blue glow, "Yes, let's do that."

"No." Raina whispered, searching for Graverobber's hands as he went for his bag for the gun, ready to load the vial, "No Zydrate. Get her out- get her out, then the Z. Save her before you save me." she breathed heavily, they almost couldn't make out what she'd said, but Shilo understood.

"Alright. I can do this... I think... We might have to force it though."

"Nope, she's ready to go." Raina breathed with a laugh, her brow completely soaked with sweat. She winced, and took in a deep breath, "The baby! Is she cut!" she sat up abruptly but screamed when her body protested against it, shooting pain all through her.

"Where is she cut?" Shilo asked, putting on surgical gloves as she approached Graves who took the towel away from a moment to show that she'd been stabbed in the stomach, an inch above her hip bone.

"Oh no." Shilo groaned and got to work with removing Raina's pants.  
>The woman had passed out completely from the pain. Shilo gave direction to Graverobber. They'd take out the baby, Shilo would tend to any wounds it had, once it was out Graves would shoot Raina up with some Zydrate and Shilo would stitch up her wounded stomach. "Got it?" she asked the man whose eyes were wider and more scared than she'd ever seen them be. He nodded. "Okay. Here we go." Shilo took a breath...<p>

...

"You know... for a sheltered little, sick girl, you did pretty good, kid."

"I had plenty of time to read, mostly my dad's old medical books." she chuckled. Raina was stable, after hooking up Shilo's old medical equipment from her room to Raina they were calmed by the steady 'beep... beep... beep... beep...' coming from the machine. Shilo was cleaning off the baby, a girl, just like Raina had been saying 'she's ready', 'get her out', 'save her', when all the time before that she'd been calling what grow in her a stomach a 'he'.

She'd realized the baby was Graverobber's, she had a suspicion, since he was freaking out so badly about the red head and the state of the child. He confirmed it when all was quiet but the question hung loudly in the air.

Looking at the little girl now Shilo could see it, the girl shared features from her mother _and_ father. She bundled her up in a dark blanket, she couldn't believe she'd done it, but she did. She turned toward Graverobber, if his face wasn't already painted white she assumed he'd be white as a sheet, his looked terrified as he glanced to the child.

"What's wrong?" Shilo looked at the baby who slept soundly. She had been cut by Luigi's knife, and she had almost died because of it. Breaking the amniotic sac, forcing labour and putting a deep mark on her arm, but it was bandaged up well. Nothing was wrong with her.

"I can't do this. I can't. She was right, I can't- I just... Kid, promise you won't judge me too hard for this, but... I have to go. But tell her..."


	4. A Deal With the Balleraina

An abandoned house on the coast, a condemned home, something that was built back in 2012. It was old, dirty, and probably not the safest place to live, but no one ever came down from the city to that area, no one lived near the area for over 50 miles. The whole place was abandoned and open for the taking. Raina, no longer the Courtesan, and Shilo, no longer the girl with the 'blood disease', fixed it up, made it livable, for them, and for Rebel.

_"Why Rebel?" Shilo wondered as she sat on the edge of the bed where Raina, now awake, held her sleeping daughter. Graverobber had run off hours earlier, but Shilo wasn't ready to bring that up._

_"Because- she is. She rebelled against being a boy like I thought she'd be, she stayed strong through the past months even when we were starving. She rebelled against being stabbed, she stayed strong through the labour when we were both dying. She's a little trooper, a little Rebel. I think she'll defy anything that challenges her... maybe even GeneCo."_

_Shilo nodded, it did seem fitting, and who knows, maybe Rebel would be her sidekick when and if she decided to take over GeneCo. There was no doubt in her mind that the Largo children would put up a fight, and she knew they were probably looking for her now..._

_"Graverobber left." she blurted suddenly._

_Raina just nodded, "I thought he would. I told him he didn't need to help me, and I knew it would be too much for him... maybe some day he'll be able to handle it."_

_"How did you know?"_

_She shrugged, "I just know the guy. And I'm pretty good at reading men. He's not the fathering type. And I mean- the guy robs graves, harvests Zydrate and sells it on the street. He isn't exactly prosperous or honorable."_

_"He told me he loved you."_

"Hey kid!"

Both girls, light brown and dark brown haired, looked up at the sound of that deep, familiar baritone, and smiled when they saw his approaching figure, the same as ever. Tangled, mutli-colored hair, ragged coat and ancient clothes, those monsterous boots and that smug smirk.

"Graverobber!" the younger of the two shouted back, she jumped to her feet and ran toward the man.

In his towering height he stooped down to catch the girl in his arms before hauling her up and swinging her around to hang on his back. Her little arms hooked around his neck, fingers linking together below his throat, he turned his head as he walked toward the other girl still seated in the dirt, "What're you doing, kid?"

"Shilo's teaching me how to catch bugs. It's kinda hard, I almost got one though!"

"Catching bugs, huh? Thrilling." he chuckled.

The girl nodded and he let his grip loosen and she slid from his back and onto her feet. Shilo brushed away the dirt from her legs before she stood up and greeted the man, "Been a while."

"Been busy." he shrugged then looked around, "Where's Raina?"

"Mommy's inside practicing. She has a show tonight. Shi said we might go. But we have to be sneaky, and dress up- like spies!"

"Sounds like fun. I'll ask her if she'll let me come too." Graves ruffled the little girls hair and started toward the house.

Stepping foot into the home he could feel the floor and walls vibrate from music. The house was large and spacious, but he knew his way around, knowing well where the studio was and knowing that's where the source of the music was.

The music became louder and louder with each step he took until he reached the open door frame and stopped. He leaned against it and just watched her. Graceful couldn't even begin to describe her, she was... exquisite. Every movement was perfect, and he wouldn't dream of disrupting her. She was no longer the Courtesan, and just looking at her you couldn't even see a bit of that character in her anymore. She was Raina, she had red hair, pale skin, green eyes and the body of a dancer. Yes, the pregnancy had given her a slightly fuller figure, but that didn't make her any less amazing. She had a scar on her stomach, just an inch above her left hip bone, jagged and raised, but just a memory, just a story to tell.

It wasn't long when the music stopped and Raina looked to the doorway, giving Graves a smile, "Knew you were there."

"Nutcracker?" he questioned as he stepped into the mirrored studio to stand in front of her.

"Swan Lake." she corrected, "Close though."

"Ah." he nodded, "So, uh, you got a show tonight."

"Yeah. Kind of surprising how many people still know what ballet is and appreciate it."

"Well it is the people from the scumskirts of the island. These are _your_ people. The ones that tackled Luigi Largo to save you. They love the _Balle__**raina**_."

She scrunched her nose and laughed, "You saw that poster, huh? They seem to think it's really clever... but I don't know."

"I think it's good. Better than Courtesan."

"Yeah..." she looked to her pointe shoed feet.

"So, uhm... Bell, I told her I might come to your show... and, I uhh..." Graves stumbled and mummbled with his words, but then something seemed to snap, "Why? Why can't you just say it?"

"Again with this, Graves?" she sighed and turned away to the stereo.

"**Yes**. _This_ again. I just want to know _**why**_ you can't say it." he followed her closely.

"I don't know, it's... I don't know, I just-"

"You don't feel the same way."

"No, damn it. Stop putting words into my mouth, you always do that." Raina turned back to look at him and sighed, "I just... I was alone, completely alone in my younger days, and then I was kept in captivity for 10 years. I don't know what _love_ is."

"You love Bell!" he gestured with his hand toward the door, obviously going beyond the door, hallway and walls to the front yard where Rebel and Shilo were.

"Of course I do! She's my daughter." she crossed her arms and glared at him as if he were accusing her of something.

"Then why no-"

"I don't know!" she tossed her arms up, shouting and giving a groaning sigh, "... Just give it time... I mean, I do _like_ you... otherwise I wouldn't have slept with you... free of charge." she tried to uplift the mood with a joke, but he just huffed a sigh, rolling his eyes.

She reached up with her hands, taking hold of face, she stood on her toes and rested her lips against his, "I... don't... not love you... Alright?" she struggled to say to try and remedy the situation, moving her arms to circle around his neck and putting her shoes to work again to stay the height she was at.

He raised a brow at her, "Okay... I guess."

She smiled and kissed him once more, almost losing herself when he leaned against her, easing her past the stereo and to the mirrored wall. The cool glass caused her to gasp and she pulled away with a laugh, "Is that all you came here for?"

"No. I thought I'd update you on the inner city goings on."

"Oooh, exciting." she mummbled, twisting and tangling her fingers in his hair.

"Or. _Or. _We could continue _this_," he pressed her further into the glass, "elsewhere."

"Doubtful. Any second now Rebbie's gonna burst in and-"

"MOMMY! I caught one! I did it!" Rebel's shouts cut her off and proved her theory right.

Graves sighed, dropping his head onto her shoulder with a groan, "Children are such pests."

"Hey, that's your pest you're talking about." Raina laughed and nudged him off of her just before Rebel ran into the room with a glass jar in hand.

"Look! I caught one! I'm gonna name it Billy." the girl raised the jar up high for the adults to see, Graves nodded approvingly and Raina laughed, "That's great! Maybe you should go out and catch Billy a friend, we wouldn't want him to be lonely, would we?"

The little girl gasped and pulled the jar into her chest, "No!" she brought the bug to eye level and cooed to it, "I'll get you a friend, Billy. And we'll call him Kevin." the girl continued to speak to the bug as she wandered out of the room and back into the front yard.

"You're sure you don't want her to know you're her father? Shilo's father lied about who he really was for 17 years, it hurt her... badly." Raina said as she took a seat on the floor and proceeded to take off her shoes.

"It's better this way." Graves mummbled.

"She looks like you. Once she's starts to notice she'll have questions." she mummbled back.

"At least I'm here, and she knows me. If she ever finds out, she'll know that I didn't ditch her or you... I just-... I don't want her to know her dad's a grave robber and a Z dealer. She doesn't need to know that. I don't want her to know that."

"I've told her stories about you, she thinks you're wonderful. If you weren't a dealer I would've never met you, and if I never met you I would've never had her, and then who would've saved me from the RottiDragon- oops! I mean..."

"RottiDragon?" he laughed, "Please don't say you portray me as some _prince charming_." he snorted.

"More of a Robin Hood..." she stood up on bare feet and grinned sheepishly.

He looked at her, before letting out another laugh, "I'll see you later." and started for the door.

"You know, you should try to stay true to your word. She may love the stories about you, but your false promises aren't making her love you more. She's 4 years old now, but she won't be a little girl forever." she said after him.

He stopped, for a few seconds he just stood there, still and silent. He took a breath through his nose before he turned.

"Alright. If I show up to your little _dance_ _recital_ I'll tell her I'm her dad," he offered as he approached her, careful to not crush her toes with his boots when he stood in front of her. She looked up at him and grinned widely.

"But," he started and laughed when her grin fell, "you have to start saying the 'L' word."

"Wha-"

"Mommies and Daddies are supposed to love each other, _aren't_ they?" he cut her off with a smirk.

"Alright." she stuck her pinky out, and he encircled his around hers with a squeeze, "But that's only _if _you show up and hold up your end of the bargain."

"Right." he nodded and withdrew his pinky finger from hers. She put her hands on her hips and tried to hide an underlying smirk, "Go on. Get to work. It's getting late." she nodded to the door.

He smiled widely and started to the door again. "Show's at 10." she said with a laugh.

"See you there!" he called as he turned into the hallway.

"Yeah. Maybe." she smiled as she toed at the floor with her bare feet...

...

In a world like this it's hard to accomplish your dreams. But with friends and family like mine this world seems a little less heinous. From a dirt poor girl, to an orphan, to a young woman moved to the top of the transplant list, the Courtesan to the most powerful man in the world, a prostitute on the side, accidentally pregnant, a traitor, wanted for arrest and repossesion, a survivor, saved, stabbed, a mother, a surrogate mother and friend, the Balleraina, and a wife. Sometimes there are heroes and villans, the obedient and the rebels, lovers and fighters. Sometimes there's a light in the darkness, sometimes you have to break some rules and search really hard to find it... I found mine...

* * *

><p><em>Disclaimer: I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera.<em>


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